About this opportunity
Government data sits in ministries and agencies all day, and most of it is never used to answer a question about how the state actually works. The Government Analytics Fellowship was built to change that. It is run by the World Bank Development Economics Vice Presidency with its Development Impact Group, the Institutions Global Department and the Institute for Economic Development, together with academic collaborators, and it is grounded in the Government Analytics Handbook, the World Bank reference on the field. Fellows work with the experts behind that Handbook and with University of Oxford colleagues to design and carry out a project inside their own organization.
There are three ways to take part. The online only track is self paced, designed for officials who are holding down a full job. The regional hub track runs more localized cohorts. The immersive in person track selects a small cohort competitively for an intensive six month programme that includes a two week residency in Washington DC in March 2027, working alongside World Bank staff, academics and fellow practitioners. For that in person component the World Bank covers hotel, travel and subsistence for applicants from ODA eligible countries, and a selected group of fellows receive dedicated mentoring from a World Bank expert in the field their project sits in. Across all tracks you join a learning community of public servants, data specialists and academics working on data driven administration.
The fit question matters more than the credentials question here, so read this part closely. The fellowship is aimed at the administration of government, not policy analysis. The World Bank states plainly that a project closer to health policy than health administration, or tax policy rather than tax administration, is less likely to succeed. It is also looking for evidence that the data your project needs already exists in administrative records, or can plausibly be collected during the fellowship. You must be nominated by your own organization, which may put forward up to two people, and your organization has to write in support of the project. Applications are open now and the submission date is 16 November 2026. Prepare a CV of no more than three pages, a 150 word summary of the project you want to run, and an endorsement letter from your organization, all in English and all in PDF, then submit through the World Bank application form linked below.
What you receive
- Structured support to design and carry out a government analytics project inside your own organization
- Direct learning from the experts behind the Government Analytics Handbook, plus University of Oxford collaborators
- Dedicated mentoring from a World Bank expert in the field your project sits in, for a selected group of fellows
- A two week immersive residency in Washington DC in March 2027 for the in person cohort, with hotel, travel and subsistence covered for applicants from ODA eligible countries
- A self paced online track and a regional hub track for officials who cannot commit to the full in person programme
- Membership of a global community of public servants, data experts and academics working on data driven administration
- Access to the online version of the Government Analytics course, including for applicants who are not selected in this round
Who can apply
- Employed by a central government organization, including government agencies
- Holding a mid-level management or senior analyst position, or the equivalent, with the authority and institutional support to develop a government analytics project
- Nominated by your own organization, which may put forward up to two fellows
- Prior tertiary level coursework in statistics or related quantitative methods
- Proficient in English
- Able to present a government analytics project with clear institutional relevance and realistic potential for implementation
- For the in person track only, available to travel to Washington DC for about two weeks in March 2027, and committed to finishing the virtual course and submitting the project before the in person training
Who should not apply
- Applicants outside central government organizations, including private sector and non profit staff, are not eligible for this round
- Current graduate students and faculty members are directed to the online course rather than the fellowship
- Projects built around policy analysis rather than administration, for example health policy instead of health administration, are less likely to be selected
- Applications are not accepted from organizations as a whole, only from nominated individuals
Documents to prepare
- A comprehensive CV of no more than three pages, highlighting relevant experience and qualifications
- A 150 word summary of the government analytics project you plan to undertake within your organization
- An endorsement letter from your organization nominating you, confirming your position and demonstrating institutional support for you and the project
- All documents in English and submitted in PDF format
How to apply
- Read the first chapter of the Government Analytics Handbook on the World Bank site to check that your idea is about administration rather than policy
- Talk to your organization early, since you can only apply if it nominates you and writes a letter of support
- Write your 150 word project summary, naming the administrative or survey data you intend to use and what it will help you diagnose
- Prepare your CV at no more than three pages and have the endorsement letter issued
- Convert every document to PDF
- Open the World Bank application form, complete it and upload the three documents before 16 November 2026
- Email governmentanalytics@worldbank.org if you need a question answered about the 2027 round
Selection process
- Applications are reviewed against the published criteria, with the strongest cases being projects that repurpose government administrative and survey data to diagnose and strengthen public administration
- Reviewers look for evidence that the data your project needs already exists in administrative records, or can plausibly be collected during the fellowship
- The letter of support is read as a signal of institutional backing and of whether the project will genuinely strengthen the organization
- The immersive in person track competitively selects a small cohort of officials with strategically relevant projects who can commit to the full six months
- Shortlisted applicants are contacted by the fellowship team, and exact in person dates for 2027 are communicated once confirmed
Sources and verification
Related opportunities
- University of Oxford Master of Public Policy (MPP) 2027/2028
The Blavatnik School of Government at the University of Oxford is taking applications for the 2027/28 Master of Public Policy, a full-time taught master’s for future public leaders, with a wide range of scholarships for African applicants including a dedicated award for Nigerians working in the public service. Applications close 2 December 2026.
Questions applicants ask
I work in a government agency, am I eligible?
Yes, provided you are employed by a central government organization, which includes agencies, in a mid-level manager or senior analyst position or the equivalent, with the authority to develop a government analytics project.
I am a Master or PhD student, or a faculty member, can I apply?
Not for this round. The fellowship is for serving central government officials. The World Bank points students and academics to its online Government Analytics course instead, and to the Development Impact newsletter for future openings.
Does my organization have to nominate me?
Yes. You need an endorsement letter from your organization confirming your position and its support for the project. An organization may nominate up to two fellows.
What kind of project has the best chance?
One that repurposes government administrative or survey data to diagnose and strengthen public administration. The World Bank notes that a project closer to health policy than health administration, or tax policy rather than tax administration, is less likely to succeed, because the fellowship focuses on the analytics of administration rather than policy.
Is travel to Washington DC paid for?
For the in person track, hotel, travel and subsistence are covered by the World Bank for applicants from ODA eligible countries. Fellows should arrive no later than the first day of the in person sessions, with 2027 dates confirmed later.
What if I am not selected?
You keep access to the online version of the Government Analytics course, so the round is not the only way to get the material.
Will there be another round?
The World Bank says it aims to offer a fellowship with a DC based component every year, and is exploring regional fellowships and country communities of practice.
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